Action Needed to Protect Therapy Patients During COVID-19

March 20, 2020

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread and communities are increasingly practicing social distancing, seniors who rely on physical and occupational therapy services to manage their chronic and acute pain are at risk of losing access to necessary care.

Fortunately, Congress can help. By allowing Medicare reimbursement for physical and occupational therapy services provided through telehealth appointments, we can ensure vulnerable patient populations can remain safely at home while still having access to physical therapy.

Physical and occupational therapists already provide high quality care through telehealth to individuals who are unable to reach a community-based physical therapy practice. In light of the current crisis, we must expand this alternative to all Medicare beneficiaries to safeguard patient access.

Earlier this week, we asked you to urge your lawmakers to call for the provision of waivers that would allow physical and occupational therapists to provide telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries in any future legislation developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis – and you took action in record numbers!

In just 7 days, over 5,300 physical therapy advocates have sent nearly 16,000 emails to their lawmakers. Together, we have reached every Senator and 416 House Representatives.